Property manager says he blocked beach access

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (AP) — The property manager for the billionaire investor Vinod Khosla has said that it was his decision to block public access to a once-popular Northern California beach.

Steven Baugher, who Khosla hired to manage Martins Beach, testified Tuesday in San Mateo County Superior Court that he consulted with his legal team in 2010 before closing a gate and blocking public access to the beach. But Baugher said he never talked to Khosla himself, who bought the property in 2008 for $37.5 million.

The testimony came during the civil trial to determine whether Khosla, a Sun Microsystems co-founder, violated the California Coastal Act.

On Monday, Khosla testified that he didn't remember seeing certain documents, including one from a judge saying he would need approval to close off access to the beach, which can now only be reached from the ocean.